At Roots of Indigene, our journey is deeply woven with the lives, stories, and traditions of India’s many tribal and nomadic communities. Our work goes beyond documentation — it is an ongoing dialogue of respect, preservation, and shared growth between us and the diverse communities we encounter.

Our foremost effort lies in awareness — both about and among tribal groups. For those outside these communities, we strive to open meaningful windows into ways of life that are often overlooked: the languages, art forms, and philosophies carried forward by generations of forest dwellers, pastoralists, and craftsmen. For the communities themselves, our initiatives often take on a more practical tone by enabling access to basic healthcare knowledge, first aid, and safe communication. For instance, during our Tribute Series, we journeyed alongside the Raikas, Rajasthan’s nomadic camel herders, offering first aid kits and essential travel health supplies to support their life on the move. It was a small but significant step toward ensuring their well-being while safeguarding their traditional lifestyle.

Our commitment also extends to preservation. We believe that every folk song, ritual, art and symbol holds the essence of human history and ecological wisdom. By recording oral traditions and writing about folk cultures, we work to preserve these fading legacies for future generations. Photographs, stories, and documents are always shared back with the families and tribes themselves, as keepsakes for future generations, building their own cultural records and living memories.

In our growing Archives, we continue to document the rhythms of disappearing worlds, the last of the headhunters, the tattooed Apatani women whose art once marked identity and strength, the forest dwellers who live in balance with their environment, the camel healers who have carried ancestral knowledge of animal care for centuries and many more such communities. These stories, captured with authenticity and respect, form not only a historical record but also an emotional testimony to cultural endurance.

We often find ourselves standing at the edge of vanishing worlds. Through these efforts, Roots of Indigene strives to bridge the gap between traditional knowledge and modern understanding. Our role is not to interpret or change these narratives, but to amplify them, to help ensure that communities often pushed to the periphery are instead seen, heard, and remembered with dignity. Each photograph, each conversation, and each gesture of giving back remind us that culture is not static; it evolves through connection.

By building relationships rooted in empathy, respect, and exchange, we are not just documenting heritage but also helping it live on.

Our work is to document before it disappears, to listen before the echoes fade, and to ensure that these stories of people, places, and practices are not lost to time.